The study was conducted by Steven R. Hertzler, assistant professor in the Medical Dietetics Division of the School of Allied Medical Professions, at The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio), and S.M. Clancy, a clinical dietician at the Toledo Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. They theorize kefir may be easier on the digestive system because it contains more microorganisms than yogurt.
The study was funded by Lifeway Foods Inc. (Morton Grove, Ill.), a manufacturer of cultured, probiotic and functional foods.